An anarchist news blotter following events in Oceania & South East Asia

Melbourne: Solidarity with grand jury resisters and response to coffee with ASIO

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”-Frank Herbert, Dune

Indymedia: As part of the days of solidarity with grand jury resisters in the US, on the morning of Friday 16th November we hung a banner on the Merri Parade train overpass which read “SOLIDARITY WITH GRAND JURY RESISTERS IN THE USA, ACAB”.

In addition to that and in reference to this article we wrote “DON’T TALK TO ASIO” on the front of the Melbourne Anarchist Club, [which didn’t talk to ASIO: see their statement here – disaccords] and a huge “SHH! DON’T TALK TO COPS” on the Merri Creek bike path.

The silence of our comrades in the US, and refusing to snitch or give up any information to the police – despite facing lengthy prison terms for doing so – is inspirational. While across the Pacific those resisting the grand jury are holding it down, on our side of the world some supposed comrades are playing straight into the hands of the enemy.

For some of us the idea of going for coffee with an ASIO agent is unthinkable. Did you pick up the bill, or did they pay for their own lunch? Did they buy you a vegan, gluten free muffin with your soy latte? Would you have drained the pus out of their weeping boils if they had asked you to?

The political logic of liberal anarchists is to use the media to convince society that there are “good” anarchists and “bad” anarchists. We refuse this dichotomy. In the eyes of the state the only “good” people are the ones who are willing to keep their heads down, passively accept their slavery and quietly watch the world around them go to shit. Therefore as people who are actively opposed to domination in all its forms, we will never seek the legitimisation of the media / state. And we are proud to be their enemies.

It is crucial at all times, but especially now – during this period of increased, and targeted, repression towards anarchists in Australia and around the world – that we do not let fear and paranoia paralyse us in our struggle. That we continue the vital and dignified fight for freedom and liberated human potential, against the tyranny of alienation, exploitation, and boredom of everyday life under capitalism.

3 thoughts on “Melbourne: Solidarity with grand jury resisters and response to coffee with ASIO”

So, they grafitti’d MAC (which I’m a member of) with slander, as well as publishing the statement above.

An apology and retraction is in order. Will they show solidarity with MAC, the victims of the idiocy of others? These people clearly lack the necessary organisation to make a coherent charge. They have demonstrated zero commitment to a procedural fairness that would allow MAC to (easily) refute their statements. By choosing MAC as a target, they demonstrate their cowardice – why not target ASIO itself?

Could it be said their actions are consistent with any vision of anarchism? Given the perpetrators are anonymous, and their actions are inconsistent with any accepted practice of anarchism, I find it doubtful they are anarchists. It seems more in line with agents provocateurs.

However, if they are anarchists, the words and actions of the people who wrote the statement are empty – devoid of content and consideration. Their passion only extends as far as convenience. They should feel embarrassment and shame over their actions, but are either incapable of it or paralysed by it. Anarchists everywhere are clearly better served by their ongoing silence, in either case.

They might have written something more inspiring if they stuck to chroming with the spray paint rather than using it to subject us to this CrimeThinc-lite bullshit.

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By choosing to report an incident here, we make no claims as to the (political) motivations of any actors. We just want to amplify the news of incidents that shatter, however briefly, the myth of consensus and social peace, and show that various forms of resistance are possible - are present - here.

Information is drawn from published sources, both independent and corporate media; corrections are welcomed.